Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 25
Another great one from Cincinnus. I would say that 17A, 19A, 24A, 1D and 4D are rather run-of-the-mill clues but the rest are typical of his particular genius. My favourites this time are 13A (RADIATOR), 10D (LADS AND LASSES) and 21D (NOSHED).
Across
1. ABRIDGE – A (a) + BRIDGE (violin part)
5. TO BOOT – BOO (frightening sound) in TOT (child)
8. CALUMNIES – I (one) in anagram of UNCLE SAM
9. IDEAL – I (I) + DEAL (buy and sell)
11. UTTER – [b]UTTER (fat bishop disappearing)
12. SANGFROID – anagram of FANS DO GIR[l]
13. RADIATION – double/cryptic definition
15. NAUSEA – USE (benefit) in anagram of A and AN (articles)
17. MALIGN – M (a number of Romans) + ALIGN (get into a row)
19. BONEYARD – BONEY (Napoleon) + A (a) + DR (doctor) backwards
22. NOISES OFF – NOISES (sounds) + OFF (bad)
23. TETRA – TETRA[d] (group of four, mostly). I originally had this as a double definition and Sil corrected me — see comments below.
24. SPOOR – S (sulphur) + POOR (low-grade)
25. HEARTLESS – HE (male) + ARTLESS (lacking guile)
26. STONED – anagram of DOESNT
28. NEMESIS – anagram of MEISSEN
Down
1. ACCOUTREMENTS – anagram of CRETAN COSTUME
2. RELATED – double definition
3. DEMUR – DEMUR[e] (modest, lacking finish)
4. EMISSION – E (eastern) + MISSION (embassy)
5. TISANE – hidden word
6. BRIEFCASE – BRIEF (lawyer) + CASE (example)
7. ONEROUS – O (love) + NERO (emperor) + US (American)
10. LADS AND LASSES – ADS (advertisements) in LAND (country) + L[ife] + ASSES (fools)
14. ANGLE IRON – ANGLE (point of view) + IRON (press)
16. HOFFMANN – HOFFMAN (Graduate player — as in Dustin) + [offe]N[bach]. Rather easy, it must be said, but what an elegant clue!
18. LAID OUT – double definition
20. ACTRESS – A (a) + C (key) + TRESS (lock)
21. NOSHED – NO (turned on) + CAST OFF (shed). I have a great predilection for clues of this form (where the surface is a list of things or actions) and this one is real corker.
23. TOTEM – TOTE (lug) + [wor]M
Thanks Pete for blogging once more a quality Cincinnus.
Perhaps I will come back to this place, but just before I go to sleep, I would like to say that 23ac (TETRA) is not a dd.
‘Group of four, mostly’ = TETRA[d].
That’s a surprise! Thank you for the correction.
As usual an excellent Cincinnus. It may well be that 16dn is “rather easy, it must be said”, but it was the one clue I didn’t understand. Filled it in OK but the reference to the film escaped me: I saw the n but thought the player was a man (doubtful I know) and a hoff was something I hadn’t heard of.